 |
| SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. Image from en.catholic-link.com via google.com |
This Sacrament is one of the two Sacrament of Healing, the other one being the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. They are sacraments of healing because they heal the Christian from the spiritual disease and sickness of sin [Reconciliation] and bodily sickness and disease [Anointing of the Sick]. This Sacrament has been called many names in accordance with the focus, emphasis or understanding which the Church has attached to it but fundamentally, it is a Sacrament which allows us to be reunited with God after falling into sin after Baptism.
The Catechism states that,
"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer, labors for their conversion" [CCC 1422].
It is called Sacrament of Conversion for it is the initial step toward the call of Jesus to return to God after committing a sin and Penance because it consecrates the Christian's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance and satisfaction [1423]. It is also called Sacrament of Confession because of the important element of disclosing sins to the priest; Sacrament of Forgiveness since through the priest's absolution God grants pardon and peace to the penitent; and Sacrament of Reconciliation since it imparts to the sinner who repents the love of God who reconciles [1424].
The important Biblical passage which attests to the institution of this Sacrament is the passage from the Gospel according to St John wherein the Lord Jesus Christ breaths upon the apostles the Holy Spirit and gives them the power to forgive or to retain sins [see John 20: 19, 22-23; 1485].
Celebrating this Sacrament in our lives as Friends of the Lord Jesus Christ means living lives in holiness, avoidance of sin and overcoming temptations. It also means being generously ready to forgive offenses not only seven times but seventy-seven times [see Matthew 18:21] and of being humble enough to ask for forgiveness when we offend others. It also means living our lives in God's grace and not being prisoners of our past sins that we become unable to do good and holy things because we think that we are unworthy for having sinned before. It is great to accept our sinfulness but to continually linger on them wouldn't do us good [unless we have not yet confessed and are merely trying to cover up our sins by appearing good and holy]. It also means considering everyone else as better than us unless clearly more evil. This means that we shouldn't think of what others do in a negative light and never impute upon them any bad intention unless such intention clearly shows. After all, God, who sees and knows everything, is the final Judge of all and if ever we might have been cheated here on earth, God will surely not let it pass unnoticed during the Final Judgment.
A Christian cannot live his or her life fully without living out the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For this Sacrament provides us with the grace of being united once again with God and the Church after committing sin and confessing them. It also provides us the opportunity to keep ourselves pure and holy in accordance with the will of the Father [see Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Peter 1:15; Luke 1:75; Matthew 5:48], the example of the Lord Jesus Christ who became a man like us in all things except sin [see Hebrews 2: 17-18; 4:15] making us worthy of being temples of the Holy Spirit [see 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; see also James 4:5; Romans 8:9; John 2:21].
In closing, let us remember that the Lord commanded us to love one another [see John 13:34; 15: 12-17]. It also means, be reconciled with one another.
No comments:
Post a Comment